# Correct way to tamp and smoke a pipe?? Newbie



## fender22 (Apr 14, 2009)

Hi, I have bought several pipes over the years and never quite got it right. I think it may have to do with perhaps the way I am packing the pipe? Too loose, too tight? 

I really enjoy it when you can take long, slow draws and the flavor is very pleasant but I find I end up puff, puffing away to keep the pipe alight or it goes out straight away which leaves a harsh taste in my mouth. Any help appreciated. regards Craig


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## dogsplayinpoker (Jan 23, 2007)

The way I have always loaded a pipe is fill the first 1/3 of the bowl very loose. The next pinch I put in, I push with my thumb a little bit. Then the final third of the bowl I load a pinch in and press it firmly. Not full strength but with more pressure. You need to also take into consideration the moistness of the tobacco. Too moist can lead to multiple relights and too dry can lead to fast burning tobacco that will taste harsh.
Just keep at it. After a while you will find a method for loading your pipe and it will become second nature to you.
BTW, welcome to puff and try not to use the term "pack" again. You have been given your newbie warning! Once more and Moo will be coming for you:madgrin:

Any other questions? Ask away!!


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## BrSpiritus (Apr 9, 2009)

Someone taught me this way a long time ago and it has a 98% sucess rate. Fluff up the tobacco and lightly drop it into the bowl until it filled, lightly tamp down to halfway. fill again then tamp 1/4 of the way down. do a final fill and have the tobacco mounded above the bowl, tamp down so that it is flat and even with the rim. Light and smoke away. I find when I fill the bowl this way I don't often have to relight. Somtimes with the heavily cased aromatics I might have to stir the bowl up, tamp and relight about halfway through but with slow draws I can get a nice smoke and be happy for an hour with my peterson kildare. This method is supposed to keep gurgle to a minimum as well but since I am still transitioning from cigs to pipes I think I tend to smoke too fast. This is why I have an affity for straight pipes... easier to get a pipe cleaner down and soak up the juice.

BrSpiritus


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## brianwalden (Mar 18, 2009)

I had to smoke half a pound of tobacco and discover this forum before I learned how to fill and tamp a pipe - I was doing both too hard. BrSpiritus described the classic way of loading a pipe. You might also want to try the Frank method: New Document (you can also find videos on youtube). I feel that the Frank method makes it harder for me to mess up filling my pipe by over-packing; it really helped me get a feel for how loose the bottom of the bowl needs to be. The classic three step load gives me more control of how I want to fill the pipe so I can make adjustments for different cuts of tobacco, but it's unforgiving if I over-pack it.

I a terrible over-tamper until I saw a video of someone doing it on youtube (just be careful about which types of videos you find :fear. Tamping should be very light. I like to think of it as just pushing the ash down on top of the unburnt tobacco - you're not trying to pack down the actual tobacco. Also one tip to avoid having to tamp too much is if your smoke is dwindling and the pipe is starting to go out, take a draw or two with your fingers over the top of the pipe. Someone else can explain the physics behind it, but it basically sends air directly to the ember to help revive it.

Hopefully with a little practice you'll be taking those long, slow draws that are so pleasurable more often.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

Tobak with the proper moisture content (good luck with that) and a correct fill (the dogsplayingpoker 1-2-3 fill works for me, too) will result in gentle, infrequent tamping that more collapses the ash column than it compresses the tobacco. A little compression is sometimes needed to reconnect burning embers with unburned tobak but, the better the filling technique the lighter your tamping will be. Mostly.

Try an easy tobak like Cater Hall or Prince Albert if you want to develop the feel quickly. They both have plenty of flavor but are easy to handle and very predictable in the burn. Sez I.

Also, vote for me for Mayor of the Pipe Forum. As your Mayor I will make packing pipes illegal thus keeping you safe, smoking smoothly and tamping barely at all.


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## uvacom (Oct 29, 2008)

As a relative neophyte, I can say that the frank method was a revelation for me. The tobacco burns much cooler and with much more flavor. Tamping is virtually unnecessary. Tobaccos that used to bite severely leave my tongue unscathed. It's not even that difficult to learn. 

Frankie, baby!


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## BrSpiritus (Apr 9, 2009)

brianwalden said:


> BrSpiritus described the classic way of loading a pipe. You might also want to try the Frank method: New Document (you can also find videos on youtube). I feel that the Frank method makes it harder for me to mess up filling my pipe by over-packing; it really helped me get a feel for how loose the bottom of the bowl needs to be.


I checked out that link, will have to find a you tube vid to fully understand it before I try it on one of my pipes. It does seem interesting though and I want to try it.

BrSpiritus


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## DeadFrog (Mar 19, 2009)

If I'm smoking a full bowl, the Frank method works the best for me. If I'm doing only a half bowl, I do a modified 3 pack method. I still get better results doing it the Frank way.


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## brianwalden (Mar 18, 2009)

BrSpiritus said:


> I checked out that link, will have to find a you tube vid to fully understand it before I try it on one of my pipes. It does seem interesting though and I want to try it.
> 
> BrSpiritus


Here's the video: YouTube - Frank Method 2 of 3

If you go on to view part 3, I don't recommend using a torch to light your pipe like he does. The risk of scorching your pipe is just too high.


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## BrSpiritus (Apr 9, 2009)

brianwalden said:


> Here's the video: YouTube - Frank Method 2 of 3
> 
> If you go on to view part 3, I don't recommend using a torch to light your pipe like he does. The risk of scorching your pipe is just too high.


Yeah I found those videos after I posted on here. Gave it go earlier packing my peterson killdare with some sweet killarney tobacco. Might not have got the 3 finger pinch quite right but I must say I am sold, I will never 3 step fill a pipe again.

BrSpiritus

PS - No torch lighter ever comes near my pipes


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## selleri (Feb 6, 2008)

BrSpiritus said:


> do a final fill and have the tobacco mounded above the bowl, tamp down so that it is flat and even with the rim.


I'd suggest tamp the last time a little below the rim, the edge of the rim gets burn marks quite easily if the final tamp is at the same level. At least I managed to do it when I was starting up.


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## Reverie Forest (Mar 31, 2009)

Thanks for the vid, Brian . . .that illustrates it very nicely.
As for the 3-step, I have no idea why it is so well known, versus Frank's. The time I stepped up to the Frank method, my crummy MacQueen briar that once smoked hot, bit, and gurgled, then smoked sweet and cool.

I'll never speak of the 3-step again. And no noob should ever be told of it.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

Reverie Forest said:


> ...As for the 3-step, I have no idea why it is so well known, versus Frank's... ... no noob should ever be told of it.


Well known, perhaps, because it has worked so well, for so long, with so many tobacco and pipe variations, for so many people?


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## dogsplayinpoker (Jan 23, 2007)

Reverie Forest said:


> Thanks for the vid, Brian . . .that illustrates it very nicely.
> As for the 3-step, I have no idea why it is so well known, versus Frank's. The time I stepped up to the Frank method, my crummy MacQueen briar that once smoked hot, bit, and gurgled, then smoked sweet and cool.
> 
> I'll never speak of the 3-step again. And no noob should ever be told of it.


I have tried every loading method known to man(I think, this man anyway) and I wound up coming back to the tried and true 3 step process. All I got out of the Frank Method was a scorched rim on a very nice pipe.


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## Reverie Forest (Mar 31, 2009)

Well, Moo. I shall accept you jamming my foot in my own mouth.

However, speaking for myself, Frank's is a method that I cannot screw up, while the 3-step only gave me grief.


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## jfserama (Mar 26, 2009)

I've only used the three step method. It's the first (and only) method I learned and it works just fine for me, so I figured "if it ain't broke, dont fix it."


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

Reverie Forest said:


> Well, Moo. I shall accept you jamming my foot in my own mouth...


Thank you. After my mayoral buttkicking I needed something to cheer me up.

Do you smoke a lot of flake and broken flake tobak, Re'rest?


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## Reverie Forest (Mar 31, 2009)

Mister Moo said:


> Do you smoke a lot of flake and broken flake tobak, Re'rest?


No sir, my venturing in tobak thus far has been ribbon. 
Once I justify spending some cash on a new blend, it will indeed be a navy-type flake, as I've had my eye on some for a while. By what method do you fill your pipe with flake?


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## uvacom (Oct 29, 2008)

It is quite a bit trickier to load flake frank-style that isn't totally rubbed out. At least, I think so. But I think it' a good method because it packs the tobacco more densely towards the top of the bowl, which is (to me) very difficult to achieve with the three step method. It seems that each consecutive step in the three-step method compresses the previous steps, making a bowl that gets _more_ dense as it is filled.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

Reverie Forest said:


> ... By what method do you fill your pipe with flake?


I like to fold and stuff some; some just get screwed into the bowl; others still are rolled up or rubbed out. Flake tobaks vary considerably in type and texture and, thus, fill methods vary. I was instantly wowed by Escudo (a round coin type), the first flake I ever tried, but found it hard to roll, stuff and keep lit. It was harder still to adjust for expansion. As I tried more types of flake I found them initially confusing - it took a while to sort out. Now it seems like I have a given method for Escudo and everything else. They're all second nature but, fair to say, I don't find a German fill useful with any of them. German-fill boosters may have favorable results.

I don't use a 3-step fill with much flake either, tho.


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## dillonmcmurphy (Aug 5, 2008)

For most tobacco I use the 3-step method, although every now and then I try the Frank Method. I think there definately is something to it, and if it works for you than great. The reason I used the 3-step is because it works very well on many cuts of tobacco, and if you know how to use a tamper, it works just as well (if not better) than the frank method. I find this to be especially true with rubbed out flakes and most cuts other than ribbon cut, which seems to be what the frank method was designed for. Also, after a little while, you kind of customize the 3-part method and learn little tricks that work for different cuts of tobacco. So to sum it up, when I smoke anything but a flake I stick with the tried and true three part method, and for flakes I use the bend in half and roll method, or rub them out and use the three part method.


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## Mister Moo (Sep 8, 2005)

dillonmcmurphy said:


> For most tobacco I use the 3-step method, although every now and then I try the Frank Method. I think there definately is something to it, and if it works for you than great. The reason I used the 3-step is because it works very well on many cuts of tobacco, and if you know how to use a tamper, it works just as well (if not better) than the frank method. I find this to be especially true with rubbed out flakes and most cuts other than ribbon cut, which seems to be what the frank method was designed for. Also, after a little while, you kind of customize the 3-part method and learn little tricks that work for different cuts of tobacco. So to sum it up, when I smoke anything but a flake I stick with the tried and true three part method, and for flakes I use the bend in half and roll method, or rub them out and use the three part method.


That's well said. While it is true that Frank- and air pocket filling can eliminate the need to tamp, tamping just isn't some demanding discipline. I like to tamp. Besides, I have a custom made glow-in-the-dark polyclay + coffee grounds tamper that root made for me. What am I going to do with that if I never tamp again? Throw it away? No way.


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## brianwalden (Mar 18, 2009)

Hey Fender, are you having any better luck with your pipe?


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